Apprentice Elizabeth leads way for Miliband

Elizabeth Shepherd from the Manchester College at the Labour Party conference in Manchester (Image: Joel Goodman)

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A young apprentice from Bolton had the eyes of Britain on her as she was commended by Labour leader Ed Miliband for ‘breaking through’ in a ‘man’s world’ – but says she doesn't know who she’ll vote for yet.

Elizabeth Shepherd, an apprentice auto-electrician at The Manchester College, met Mr Miliband when he visited the college’s Openshaw campus.

The 20-year-old was asked by the Labour leader to stand up during his keynote speech, as he revealed plans to boost the number of school-leavers becoming apprentices to match the number going to university by 2025.

The commitment is one of his ‘national goals’, as part of a 10-year plan to transform the UK.

Mr Miliband has now asked Elizabeth to become an apprenticeship ambassador, a symbol of his pledge to produce more apprentices under a Labour government. She has worked with transport company First Group since 2010 after the college helped her become an apprentice.

Elizabeth said she was impressed by Mr Miliband’s speech, as it addressed the three issues she cares about the most – apprenticeships, the NHS and housing. But she says she isn’t completely set on where her very first general election vote will go.

Ed Miliband

Elizabeth said: “I think it’s important to listen to all the parties before you vote, especially when it’s your first vote. But Labour have shown they stand for young people and the things they believe in.

“I’m still going to have a listen to the other parties, but Labour are ahead for me at the minute and it will be hard to sway me. I thought it was a great speech, it was really interesting.

“It is important for Apprenticeships to be a big talking point in the political arena and Mr Miliband made it a pivotal part of his speech.”

In his speech, Mr Miliband said: “I think it’s fair to say Elizabeth that you are breaking through in what’s been pretty much a man’s world. She is one of the lucky few.

“Lots of the people I meet who are on apprenticeships say ‘my school said apprenticeships were rubbish and they wouldn’t help me but now I’m doing it, it’s really great for me’.

“Frankly, there aren’t enough of them and they aren’t high-quality enough.

“This is an absolutely huge undertaking. We are such a long way away from this as a country. It is going to require a massive national effort. It’s going to require young people to show the ambition to do well and to get on.”

On Monday, Mr Miliband joined a discussion group with apprentices from The Manchester College, First Group, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Power and Creative Pioneers.

Apprenticeships at The Manchester College have risen from 1,100 to 2,500 in the last year.

Chief executive John Thornhill said: “Ed Miliband’s visit presented us with the opportunity to reiterate the importance of Apprenticeships to the Manchester economy.”

The University and College Union (UCU) welcomed Mr Miliband’s focus on apprenticeships, but called on all parties to further improve vocational education.

General secretary Sally Hunt said: “We want people to see an apprenticeship as a genuine alternative to university. However, for that to happen we need proper funding for our colleges who will play a key role in delivering high-quality apprenticeships.”